[Video] How to maintain your furnace

As temperatures fall and heating season begins, make sure to maintain your furnace so that it is in good working order for the Indiana winter. Like changing the oil in your car, consistent maintenance on your furnace is an important step to ensuring the mechanical system continues to work as efficiently as possible. As famous Purdue alumnus John Wooden said, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” The same holds true for your HVAC system. If not properly prepared and maintained, you could run into serious heating problems as the winter starts.

Here are the top three things you can do to maintain your furnace and get it ready for the cold.

1. Change your air filter regularly

This is our top tip for homeowners and can make a big difference. Having a clean air filter allows the airflow to move naturally and puts less stress on your system. Many furnace problems begin when an air filter gets too clogged and dirty. Our general advice is to look to change your air filter about every month or so for your average filters. Have a hard time remembering? Follow us on Instagram for fun monthly reminders to change your air filter.

2. Clear space around your furnace

Furnaces are generally in places where it’s common to build up lots of other things. Maybe your furnace is in the basement or in a garage, and random other items have slowly piled up around it. Our next recommendation is to clear space around your furnace so that it has room to breathe and better manage airflow. Keep around two to three feet open around your furnace and it will be in good shape.

3. Have Homesense out for Maintenance

The most important thing you can do for your furnace is to have an annual tune-up. We’ll come out to check the system, including all components and parts, to make sure they’re working as they should. We’ll also check various amp draws to make sure the system isn’t pulling too much electricity. As a mechanical system, furnaces need this consistent tune-up to run as smoothly as possible. Consider joining our Maintenance Plan to get both a furnace tune-up (in the fall) and AC tune-up (in the spring) for $99 annually. These tune-ups will help prevent future costly repairs.

If you follow these three steps, your furnace will be in great shape to get you through the winter effectively and hopefully without an emergency situation where you have no heat. Want to schedule an appointment? Give us a call at 317-203-8149 or schedule an appointment online.